diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 981563974..030cf630e 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -300,34 +300,26 @@ class FileOperationError(Exception):
         self.path = path
         self.reason = reason
 
-    def text(self):
+    def __str__(self):
         """Get a string representing the error.
 
-        Describe both the underlying reason and the file path
-        in question.
+        Describe both the underlying reason and the file path in question.
         """
-        return '{}: {}'.format(
-            util.displayable_path(self.path),
-            str(self.reason)
-        )
-
-    # define __str__ as text to avoid infinite loop on super() calls
-    # with @six.python_2_unicode_compatible
-    __str__ = text
+        return f"{util.displayable_path(self.path)}: {self.reason}"
 
 
 class ReadError(FileOperationError):
     """An error while reading a file (i.e. in `Item.read`)."""
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return 'error reading ' + super().text()
+        return 'error reading ' + str(super())
 
 
 class WriteError(FileOperationError):
     """An error while writing a file (i.e. in `Item.write`)."""
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return 'error writing ' + super().text()
+        return 'error writing ' + str(super())
 
 
 # Item and Album model classes.